Drilling wells



. I L'GZISGQ March 1927 L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING wELL Filed June 1,1923 e Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 19

I 1 Li WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Fiiedi June 1, 192

6 Sheets-sh t 3 March 22, 1927. 1,621,569

L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Filed June 1, 192:5 5 Sheets-Sheet 5March 22,1927.

L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Fild June 1. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 -7 W'IW W 1 MW i Swvanboz 1 WM- 1521369 March 1927' L. H. WELLENSIEK-DRILLING WELLS I I Filed June 1, 1 923 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 WNW W March 22,192?, $621559 L. H. WELLENSI EK DRILLING WELLS Filed June 1, 1923 I 6Sheets-Sheet Patented. ar. 22,1927;

uNirEo 's'ra'rrzs PATENT tonsi wmmnsm or nous'roiv, TEXAS nnunrue'WELLS.

- Application filed June'l 1923 Serial n 642,733.

'10 oil and gas wells, is the presence of high gas pressure whichfrequently becomes so I great as to blow the drilling structure out ofthe bore of the well. Another impediment to the drilling operation oftenencountered is the presence of shifting formations whichtend to cave inabout the drilling apparatus and stop the drilling.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome thesedifficulties and to '20 provide a drillingsyst'em, in which drilling maybe conducted regardless of high gas pressures or shifting formations.The invention contemplates va method of drilling in which the drill stemand an outer protective casing are simultaneously rotated while'fluid isforced under pressure about the exterior of the protective casing thustending to hold back the shifting formations and'preventing them frompackingin about-the protective casing. i The presence of the fluid underpressure about theouter casing: also serves to hold back the gas andpreveiit it from being exerted to the detriment of thedrilling'operation.

For the purpose'of giving a detailed description of the inventionreference will now 'be had to the accompanying drawings illustratinghydraulic rotary drilling apparatus wherein: v

Figure 1 is an elevation partially in section of an apparatusconstructedin accord-' ance with the invention and constituting anembodiment thereof, v

Figure 2 is a preferred form of apparatus which may be employed. 7

Figure 3 is a plan view of same.

Figure 4 is an elevation partially in sec tion drawn to a larger scalethan Figure 2 and showingthe mechanism attached to the outer orprotective handling" same.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-, 5

of Figure 4. I

Figure 61s a detailed elevation showing casing for rotating and the topof an auxiliary derrick and' illustrat ing the rotary for the drillstem.

' Figure 7 is a sectional view of -a: casing,

head employed.

Figure 8 ,is; a section talperi on"the line 88 of Figure 7. I pReferring now particularly to Figure 1 it will be seen that a'drill stem10 provided 4 with a drill ;11, which preferably, includes under-reamingblades 12, is positioned withina'depth casing or outer protectivecasing13; The depth casin'g'1 3 is positioned within a casing 14 whichconstitutes the surface casing and which extends usually only a'comparatively short distance-within the well, for example, to cap rockor to some point above thestrata ofshifting formation orarea of high gaspressure which it is desired to penetrate. a i I A pipe 15 communicateswith the-surface casing 14, or vwith a collar attached thereto andserves to supply fluid under pressure to the surface casing. The fluid,whieh is usually water, may be supplied by means of a pump 16 or byother suitable source. f

In the example .of the invention thus illustrated in Figu're 1 theprotective casing I as will be more fully described hereinafter,

13 and drill stem 10 are arranged-to beoperated by the same means. Thusthe'casing13 is attached toa rotary table l'Z'which may bedriven bymeans of a pinion'18. and bevel gear 19. The rotary movement imparted tothe casing 13 by the rotary 17 isj be rotated simultaneously by-gt l esame means.

The casing 20 may be provided with suitable pipe gripping means (notshown) adapted v to grlp the drill stem 10. The pipe gripping means may,for example, be similar to those shown in my Patent-1,517,880 dated,

December 1924,- or other. suitable means may be provided foraccomplishing the de- 1 sired result, the particular method mentionedbeing simply illustrative of one mannerof connecting the pipes. ,Themember 20- is preferably equipped with onei'or more eon- 'necti0ns21 adated to be connected to a flexemployed in thehydraulic drilling operation. Indrilling a Well the drill stem-10 and-protective casing 13 aresimultaneously rotated while fluid is introduced j into the drill stem.*The fluid operates to wash away the cuttings from the drill bit afterwhich'it passes upwardly through the casing 13 and is discharged throughthe outlet 21. If desired, the reverse return method of drilling may beemployed in which case the fluid is introduced through the connection 21into the casing 13 and is returned to the surface through-the drill stem'10.

Althoughthe apparatus thus illustrated.

in Figure 1 is well adapted for ca'rryingout the present invention Iprefer to employ in the practice of my invention drilling .ap-

I paratus .of such t pe, for example, as that sity of any stoppage ofthe rotation of that casing during'the drilling operation. Apparatus of.this type is shown in Figures 2 to 6 mclusive reference to which willnow be had for the purpose of setting forth in detail the method ofcarrying out the pres ent invention when employing this general type ofmechanism.

T In the apparatus-tlmsv illustrated there is a derrick 22 which maybeof the usual form and constnuctioncommonly used in drilling wells. Anauxiliary derrick 23 is also pro- "wv'ided being arranged within thederrick22 "land of lessheight than the outer derrick.

The auxiliary .derrickis preferablyfconstructed of such height that it"may conveniently be usedin handling joints or secblock carrying a'cable'56 by which the drill tions of pipe ofcustomary length.

The depth casin' 13 is rotated by means of a rotary 24 whidhis mountedon the'floor of the derrick andfisfoperated in any suitableinanner, asby means of a bevel gear 25 carried on a shaft 26. The rotary 24 includesa platform 27 which. is of such diameter that it vwill accommodatethemen em-,

.ployed inattaching new joints to-the depth casing. Gripping mechanism28 adapted tto hold the' -casmg 13 in operative "connection with therotary is mounted thereon.

The"depthcasing13 is: provided with .a

a swivel mechanism suchas thegswivel'casing 29 which is-supported bymeans-of'cables 30 carried on crown. blocks 31 positioned iiithe upperpart of theyiauxiliary derrick. the

arrangemex'itillusfrated each cable 30 carries a traveling-block 32 to"which an extension .3301 the'swivel'ra'sing 29 is-connectedby means ofpivotallyv mounted suspension arms 33'. The casing '29 constitutes ahousing for I I pipe 13, as by means of the wedge slips 37.

bearing. plates 34 and 35 and be'arings 36, and is attached to theswivel member 29. The hopper 38 has a cen- 1 tral opening 40 throughwhich the casing 13 is adapted to pass, the hopper being"- provided withan. internal, wall 41 which extends upwardly about the casing 13 for adistance suflicient to give the hopper ad equate capacity toaccommodatethe fluid received from the casing.-' The upper part I ofvthe wall 41 is preferably flared outward-1y from the pipe 13; as isillustrated. The top joint of the, casing 13 is provided with a bellnipple 42 having its edge sufficiently flared to prevent any substantialamount-of fluid from flowing down the pipe ;13.and insuring thedischarge ofth'eifluid into the hopper. An outlet pipe 43 is providedfor discharging the contents may be desired.

of the hopper as .The-drill stem 10 is driven by arotary 44 mounted onthe top of the auxiliary. derrick. The rotary is operated by anysuitable mechanism, such as a shaft 45 geared to the 1 rotary andcarrying a sprocket wheel 46 by which power -may be transmitted to theshaft, as by means'of a chain belt-47. The belt 47 extends; to a.sprocket wheel 48- mounted on a shaft 49 to which power. is

supplied by means of a drive chaincarried on the sprocket wheel 50.. Itwill: 'be observed thatthe shaft- 49 also serves to supply power to adrum '51 b means of chain belts 52 and sprocket w eels 53 and 5.4. Thedrum 51 carries a Cl5l8ik55 which extends to a crown block locatedatrthetop of the derrick 22 (not shown)*,-the crown carries a drum .63 whichis preferably formed of two equal parts .each of which carries a cable64. Each cable 64 to one of the crown blocks 31. r

. As clearly shown in Figures 7 and .8 an

extends expansible collar member such as that illustrated in my Patent1,448,172, dated March 13, 1923, is mounted upon the upper joint of thesurface casing 14 and arranged to permit the depth casing 13 to descendinto the bore of the well and yet maintain a relativel'y-tightclosureabout this casing so as to prevent leakage between the depth and surface"c asings and prevent the pressure fluid w thin the surface casing frombeing discharged to the surface of the ground.

The several joints of the casing 13 are com monly connected by externalcouplings '6-5 and means must be provided for permitting these couplingsto descend. In the apparatus thus illustrated a collar or casingheadmember 66 is shown as being supported on the upper joint of the casing14, as by being threadedly attached thereto. The tubular member-66 isformed with one. or more sections as 66 and 66 which flare downwardly; Aplur'alit of rings 68 are slidably mounted within t e tubular member 66and are adapted to form a closure between the-wall of the casinghead 66and pipe- 13. Preferably there are one or more rings 68 mounted withineach'fiaring section as, 66 and 66"." As clearly shown in Figure 8 therings 68 are formed in arcuate sections so that they may be expansible.Eacharcuate section is formed with a groove 69 adapted to co-' operatewith one of a pldrality of ribs or lugs 7O formed on the inner walls ofthe V flaring sections 66 and 66". A number of I springs or-resilientmembers 71 are suitably mounted in thejmembers 66 to exert pressureagainst the .underside of'the several lugs 70.v

' Set screws 73 may be provided for regulating the tension of theresilient members 71. The upper-surface of the arcuate rings surfaces 74.

68 is preferably chamferedor beveled to form a suitable surface74a'dapted to be en'- gaged by'the collars 65. The rings 68 may beequipped withpacking rings 76.

As the casing 13 descends in the .bore of the-well during the drillingoperation the collars 65 engage successively the; several The pressure.thusexerted against the rings 68 operates to move them downwardlyagainst the tension of the resilient members 71, It is apparent that byreasonof the flared portions, as 66 and 669,. encoiin'tered by the ringsin their downward travel, the rings will be expanded so as to permit thecollars to pass through. The tension on the resilient members 71operates to force the rings 68 upward after The tubular member 66 isshown as being equipped with a .port or opening at 77 in communicationwith the pipe 15 by which the pressure fluid is supplied to the surfacecasing 14. I

If desired, a stuffing box may be mounted upon the tubular member -66 inorder to prevent the leakage of-any fluid that may have passed throughthe expansible rings 68.

Thus a ring 7 8, formed, for example, in two arcuate sections, may bepositioned at the upper end of the casinghead 66. This ring constitutesa support for packing material 79 which is held in position by means ofa gland'ESO, which is preferably formed in two arcuatesections. Thegland is secured in any suitable maiinerfas by bolts 81. The stuflingbox may readily be removed vwhen other than necessary to allow thepassage of the col-.,

lars 65.

In the preferred manner of carrying out the invention the drill stem 10and its protective casing 13 are kept in constant rota tion during thetime that the difiicult strata is' being penetrated- 'With the apparatusshown in Figure 1 the fluid-used in drilling is passed downwardlythrough the stem 10 v and returns to the surface through the depthcasing13 from which it is discharged by the hose connection 21, or if itbe desired to operate by the reverse return method of drilling the'fluidis admitted through the hose. connection 21, passes downwardly throughthe depth casing 13 and returns through the drill stem 10. With the typeof apparatus shown inFigures 2 and 4 the fluid is pumped through thehose 58 to the drill stem 10, returns to. the surface through the depthcasing 13 from which itis discharged into the hopper 38 and thus removedby the pipe 43. Concurrently with the, rotation of the drill stem andprotective casing water or other fluid under pressure is forced throughthe pipe 15 and down through the surface casing 14. The fluid passingdownvents the packing of shifting deposits about the rotating pipe p-Apparatus of preferred form and construction has been illustrated anddescribed for the purpose of showing a way in which this invention maybeused but'the inventive thought upon which-the application is based isbroader than the illustrative e bodiment thereof and I therefore intendno imitations those imposed by the appended claims. v

WhatIelaimis: 1. In well drilling apparatus, a casing collar formed witha plurality of flared sections, expansible rings mounted in said.

flared sections, resilient means tending to hold said rlngs 1nunexpanded position and means, for admitting fluid to said casingcollar. v

2. In well drilling apparatus, a casing col- Ila-r formed'with a flaredsection, expansible rings mounted in said flared section, resilientmeans tending to hold, Said rings innuenpanded position and means, foradmitting fluid to said casing collar.

'3. In well drilling apparatus, a casing col- -1ar formed with aplurality of flared: sections, expansible rings mounted in said flaredsections and means tending to hold said rings in unexpa'nded position.

ilo'

4:; In well'drilling apparatus, aj-casing head formed with a flaredsection, expansible rings mounted therein and adapted to engage with atubular member within said casing head, resilient means tending to holdsaid rings in unexpanded position, and a stnfiing box for said tubularmember mounted on said casing head.

5. In- Well drilling apparatus, a casing head formed with a flaredsection, expansi- .ble rings mounted therein and adapted to en gage witha tubular member within saidcasing head, resilient means tending to hold10 sald rings m nnexpanded posit on, a stuffing box. for said tubularmember mounted on said casing head and ineans for admitting fluid to thecasing head.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 15 hand this 2nd day of April,1923.

LOUIS H1 WELLENSIEK.

